Q & A with Volleyball Head Coach Jing Pu

Q: This is the largest your preseason roster has been in a very long time with nine returning players plus nine incoming freshmen, what are the expectations for the 2011 Syracuse volleyball season?

A: I have a solid group of returning upperclassmen. I am confident that their skill level and experience will help them be very competitive in the BIG EAST. With the nine incoming freshman, I feel that every position will have solid coverage this year. I cannot wait to see the final product this team can deliver.

We have three setters. All of them are ready to go. This gives me some options I have never had before. For example, I can use two setters at the same time, which allows us to keep three hitters in the front row. Last year we only had two middle blockers, including a very competitive freshman, but this year we add two more middle blockers. Not only does that give the team a stronger base in terms of numbers, it gives me options based on their styles and at different times I will have different options based on opponents. We have also added two defensive players which will enhance our libero and defensive specialist position. On the defensive side, the major difference is that at least three of our new players will be able to play all around. This will fundamentally enhance our defense as a whole in addition to our libero and defensive specialist. This is a year I want to see the team defense play at a much higher level.

We have great hitters, not just in numbers, but also with their solid training backgrounds, experience and competitiveness. I anticipate I will be able to spend more time on game preparation than on basic skill development during the season.

Q: If you could break down your roster class-by-class, starting with the seniors.

A: Noemie Lefebvre (All-BIG EAST Second Team) delivered a very consistent performance her entire junior year. She has improved in that aspect and will be even more mature and more productive to wrap up her NCAA career with great success. Erin Little has been physically very competitive. Due to the ankle and knee injuries last year, it seriously affected her playing time. I am hoping that she will have a strong showing in her senior year. I would give credit of contribution to Ashley Williams for our 18-0 start in 2010. She then tore her ACL, but the reconstruction on her knee went well. This is her last year to show her experience and skills, and I'm confident she will play well on the floor again.

Q: Your junior class consists of three veterans who have contributed to the program. Can you comment on them?

A: Noemie is a captain, but Laura Homann is also a co-captain and she has been a stable force for our team in the last two years in terms of her physical fitness, her mental consistency, focus and a disciplined lifestyle. She is a very reliable player for the team. With so many new hitters this year, I'm sure Laura will enjoy the game more with all the offensive options. Samantha Hinz has been a full-time player for the last two years and this is the time for Sam to deliver a more productive result based upon the experience she has gained. It is time for her to shift and learn how to beat opponents and score points. Zoe Guzman picked up meaningful playing time last year and her continuous improvement and contributions to the team are expected.

Q: What can be excepted from your sophomore class?

A: Lindsay McCabe has an impressive athletic ability. She is a pure middle blocker for our team and I would like to see her double the number of kills in her sophomore year. #Samantha Clarey# has exceptional hitting power. With her technical consistency that developed and improved in the first year, I look forward to seeing her produce more and continue to improve. Her power will significantly contribute to her hitting success. Amanda Kullman is another setter on the team. Her consistency of mental and physical performance helped the team in a significant way last year. I am hoping that Amanda will gain more playing time this year.

Q: Could you sum up the freshman class as a whole?

A: Due to the relatively short roster of last year, a strong freshman class was much needed for this team. There are immediate openings left vacant from last year's graduates and everyone has the opportunity to be a starting player this year as a freshman.

Q: With your schedule, where do you see this team at the end of the season?

A: The BIG EAST is a very competitive conference. Also, our non-conference schedule is much stronger. The trip to Utah State for that tournament will give us a top level of competition at the Division I level. In our region, we have the opportunity to play some top-20 ranked teams. I am very excited and confident to have the opportunity to challenge these teams and see how solid we are. We need to remain competitive and do well in our region. My goal is to beat the strong teams in the West and Mid-West region. Ultimately though, our goal is to have a significant improvement in the BIG EAST and we hope to be one of the top teams in our league.

Syracuse University Athletics

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